1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to reed affixing devices for wind instruments, and, more particularly, to a reed affixing device for a wind instrument, which is intended to secure a reed to a mouthpiece of a wind instrument, such as a saxophone or a clarinet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a reed is coupled to a mouthpiece of a wind instrument, such as a saxophone or a clarinet, to produce the sound of the instrument via vibrations. There are various kinds of reeds classified according to the thickness or material thereof. Further, the reeds may make various tones. Thus, different kinds of reeds are used according to the style of music; for example, classical music, jazz or pop.
A player needs bright or dark sounds according to his or her preference or the characteristics of the music being played. To this end, the player selectively uses a thick reed for producing a dark sound or a thin reed for producing a bright sound. However, although the reed is selectively used as such, this method imposes limits upon the production of tones such that only one type of music can be played using a certain thickness of reed.
Further, the existing mouthpiece has various sizes. However, a cord of a ligature, which is currently used to secure the reed to the mouthpiece, has a length suitable for a specific mouthpiece. Since the length of the cord of the ligature which is currently available is limited, the ligature may be applied only to a specific kind of mouthpiece.
Moreover, the existing mouthpiece has various angles. Thus, there is required a ligature, which is configured to secure the reed to the mouthpiece of various angles in an accurate position and posture.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,623 discloses a ligature for woodwind instruments, which is intended to secure a reed to a mouthpiece of a wind instrument. In other words, the ligature for the woodwind instrument is configured to secure the reed to the mouthpiece using a cord.
However, the cited reference lacks a tone control function, which is capable of changing the tone between bright and dark, as necessary. Further, the cited reference is problematic in that there is no additional function of adjusting the length of the cord according to the size of the mouthpiece; therefore the ligature may be employed on only a very limited range of mouthpieces. Further, the cited reference is problematic in that it has no additional position control structure for securing the reed to mouthpieces of various angles in an accurate position and posture; consequently, the ligature may secure the reed to the mouthpiece in inaccurate position and posture if the mouthpiece has a large angle, thus causing inconvenience to a player.